A temporary exhibition at Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego recalls the first Polish aviation feat by women around the borders of the Republic: a rally in October 1931 covering a route of nearly 3,000 km. The route passed through Katowice, Kraków, Lwów, Wilno, Warsaw and Puck, among other places. The participants flew PZL.5 aircraft.
The exhibition opened as part of the Lotniczy Dzień Kobiet (Women in Aviation Day) programme at Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego, held over the weekend of 7–8 March. It aims to show the role of women in the history and present of Polish civil aviation, including as pilots, mechanics, navigators, air traffic controllers and specialists in other aviation professions.
Four women pilots from the aero clubs of Lwów and Silesia took part in the rally:
- Maria Wardasówna – observer, one of the first Silesian women pilots, who completed her aeroplane pilot course in 1931; after the war she flew safety flights on Po-2 aircraft, served as commandant of the airport in Łódź and was active in aero club structures;
- Maria Lierówna – observer from Silesia, who had 25 flights to her name before the rally; she flew with Danuta Sikorzanka in the PZL.5a aircraft ‘Śląsk’, registration SP–AFP;
- Danuta Sikorzanka (Jadwiga Danuta Sikorzanka) – pilot of the Aeroklub Lwowski (Lwów Aero Club), later a member of the Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Union of Armed Struggle);
- Wanda Olszewska (Maria Wanda Olszewska) – pilot of the Aeroklub Lwowski (Lwów Aero Club), who in 1930 obtained her tourist pilot certificate and, shortly afterwards, a Category C glider licence.
The exhibition panels display numerous, often unique photographs documenting the course of the rally and the later lives of its participants. The display is complemented by original memorabilia on loan from the Muzeum im. Gustawa Morcinka in Skoczów, previously shown at the exhibition ‘Maryśka ze Śląska – wspomnienie o Marii Wardas’ in autumn 2025.
The display cases contain, among other things:
- a bust of Maria Wardasówna by Hanna Nałkowska;
- the pilot’s personal watch on a black leather strap, with five miniature aviation pins, including the badge of the Aeroklub Polski (Aero Club of Poland), the badge ‘40 lat Aeroklubu Warszawskiego (1927–1967)’ (40 Years of the Warsaw Aero Club, 1927–1967), the ‘Gapa’ (the eagle of military pilots with a golden laurel) and the SP gliding badge (three seagulls);
- a press clipping from the 1931 issue of ‘Światowid’ titled ‘Co skłoniło mnie, aby zostać lotniczką?’ (‘What made me decide to become an aviatrix?’).
The exhibition is on the mezzanine of Hangar No. 5 at Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego from 7 March to 30 November 2026.